Nearly half of the protected animal species assessed in Denmark are now in "severely unfavorable" condition, according to a new conservation assessment on Wednesday.

Several animal species and natural areas in Denmark are now threatened and at risk of being lost due to worsening living conditions, Danish broadcaster DR reported, citing a new assessment by Aarhus University presented to the government and Parliament.

The comprehensive review examines 88 species and 60 habitat types that Denmark risks losing if current trends continue. Since the last assessment six years ago, the percentage of species in "severely unfavorable conservation status" has increased from 32 percent to 49 percent.

Species under significant pressure include grey seals, beavers, dormice, birch mice, sharp-nosed frogs, shore toads, dragonflies, and several butterfly species. The otter is classified as "highly critical" in eastern Denmark.

Researchers identify pollution and climate change as primary causes. Conditions for many fish and crustaceans have deteriorated, with oxygen depletion beneath the sea surface making survival difficult for marine life. According to scientists, climate change has now begun to significantly impact the Danish marine environment.

Senior researcher Jesper Erenskjold Moeslund of Aarhus University warned that species living in highly unfavorable conditions face extinction in Denmark if the trend continues. More national parks could make a decisive difference in the near term, he added.

Maria Reumert Gjerding, president of the Danish Nature Conservation Association, described the report as a "declaration of bankruptcy" for nature policy, criticizing the creation of only one national nature park in the past six years and urging for better protection of scarce natural areas.

(Cover: An aerial view of narwhals in the fjords off the eastern coast of Greenland, Denmark, February 21, 2023. /VCG)